Now how to package it to the family... purple leek and lentil stew? Broth? Soup? It's all in the name. It may have to be Santa Stew, or something equally appealing as the kids both turned their noses up at the sight of it. Maybe I'll puree it and call it Winter soup.

I'm cooking every meal from scratch these days, at least every three days or so I do an inordinate amount of peeling, chopping, blah blah. I really needed to cut down on the time spent at the stove, though I do enjoy it. Hence the slow cooker purchase. And I'm assured they are worth their weight in gold. I will let you know how I get on.

And my toddler woke one hour after I went to sleep, and stayed awake for the next 5 hours, 3 of which were on my watch. As I tried dozing off he'd wake me for another boob or to select a different episode of whatever inane animation he was watching on my phone. Growing pains. Feeling slightly out of it this morning, and not helped by my technicolour surroundings in this play area.